Country music legend Kris Kristofferson dies aged 88

Kris Kristofferson, a country music icon, passed away at the age of 88.

After winning the Grammy for best country song in 1972 for Help Me Make It Through the Night and two more in 1974 and 1976 for duets with his ex-wife Rita Coolidge, Kristofferson rose to prominence in the country music industry.

In the 1976 A Star Is Born remake starring Barbra Streisand as Esther Hoffman, he played the destructive rocker John Norman Howard, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe.

A representative confirmed that the singer died ‘peacefully’ at his home in Maui, Hawaii on Saturday surrounded by family, with musicians including Barbra and Dolly Parton paying tribute.

Sharing a tribute on Instagram, Barbra she ‘knew he was something special’ the first time she saw him perform.

‘Barefoot and strumming his guitar, he seemed like the perfect choice for a script I was developing, which eventually became A Star Is Born,’ she wrote.

The film scored the Oscar for Best Original Song, for the song titled Evergreen.

Barbra continued: ‘In the movie, Kris and I sang the song I’d written for the film’s main love theme, Evergreen.

‘For my latest concert in 2019 at London’s Hyde Park, I asked Kris to join me on-stage to sing our other A Star Is Born duet, Lost Inside Of You.

‘He was as charming as ever, and the audience showered him with applause. It was a joy seeing him receive the recognition and love he so richly deserved.’

On Instagram, Dolly wrote: ‘What a great loss. What a great writer. What a great actor. What a great friend.

‘I will always love you, Dolly.’

US singer and actress Reba McEntire posted an image of the pair laughing on stage, describing Kristofferson as ‘one of my favourite people.’

‘What a gentleman, kind soul, and a lover of words. I am so glad I got to meet him and be around him,’ she added.

LeAnn Rimes also described him as ‘an epic human with the biggest heart’ on her Instagram story.

In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The chief executive for the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kyle Young, wrote on X: ‘Kris Kristofferson believed creativity is God-given, and those who ignore such a gift are doomed to unhappiness.

‘He preached that a life of the mind gives voice to the soul, and his work gave voice not only to his soul but to ours. He leaves a resounding legacy.’

Born in 1936 to an Air Force major general, Kristofferson served as an army ranger who flew helicopters in the US Army during his own stint in the service.

He also studied literature at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar after finishing his undergraduate degree at Pomona College in California.

Kristofferson later pivoted his career to music and headed to Nashville to pursue being a professional songwriter.

He went on to write standards such as Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down, which became a hit for Johnny Cash; For The Good Times, covered by Ray Price; and Me And Bobby McGee, which was a hit rendition by Janis Joplin.

In 1985, Kristofferson joined Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson to form a supergroup called The Highwaymen.

He also pursued a career in Hollywood with his notable roles including Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore in 1974 with Ellen Burstyn, as well as the 1979 drama Freedom Road with boxing champion Muhammad Ali and 1980’s Heaven’s Gate with Jeff Bridges and Christopher Walken.

Kristofferson’s other film credits included Pat Garrett And Billy the Kid, Lone Star, and the Blade franchise.

He is survived by his wife, Lisa, his eight children and seven grandchildren.

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